Foods to avoid with high cholesterol, when it comes to keto, it’s apparent that weight loss is a guarantee. Any strategy that specifically targets the burning of fat is going to lead to weight loss.
And the evidence speaks for itself. More and more people are testifying about the profound weight loss benefits they experienced on keto.
So loading up on fat and shedding the carbs seems to be the way to go correct?
Well, here’s the thing, statistics show a marked increase in cholesterol levels that correlates with the implementation of low carb, high fat diets such as keto.
Now we’ve all heard about how high cholesterol can have a negative health impact, but we need to understand how and why.
What is Cholesterol ?
Cholesterol is a type of fat made by the liver from the fats you consume.
Its main function is for the formation of cell membranes and assists in the transport and fluidity efficiency of your cells.
So having high cholesterol isn’t necessarily a bad thing right?
But why have we been told that cholesterol is bad for our health?
That brings us to a more complex understanding of what types of cholesterol we find in our bodies and how they affect us.
The Good and the Bad
There are two main forms of cholesterol in the human body.
HDL and LDL cholesterol.
Good Cholesterol
HDL cholesterol is the good type of cholesterol.
The one we need for healthy cell structure and function.
Other benefits of this type of cholesterol are:
- Lowers risk of heart disease
- Helps improve cardiovascular health
- Responsible for healthy hormone (endocrine) function
- Reduces presence of “bad” LDL cholesterol
Bad Cholesterol
The last point in our benefits mentions the reduction in bad LDL cholesterol. But what is it really?
LDL is another form of cholesterol. The reason it is considered bad is due to its effect on your circulatory system.
It forms deposits in the arteries which build up into plaque, a tough scaly crust that limits healthy blood flow and stiffens the artery walls.
This leads to several unhealthy conditions such as
- Hypertension
- Atherosclerosis
- Heart disease
- Stroke
LDL accumulates when you consume trans fats or an excess of saturated fats.
This article will look at ways you can combat LDL while also increasing HDL levels in your blood.
But before we get into that, please take a look at our LIFE RENU store.
Here we have a range of amazing products which we’ve formulated to give your diet and lifestyle a handy boost.
Helping you renew your life!
Without further ado, let's take a look at cholesterol, and how to balance your levels in a healthy way while taking advantage of the benefits of keto.
6 Healthy Habits To Limit Bad Cholesterol
1. Increase Unsaturated fat
Foods to avoid with high cholesterol, the best source of HDL cholesterol is unsaturated fat.
This type of fat is a liquid oil at room temperature and comes in two forms.
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
Both these types of fat are considered “healthy fat”.
That's because they are responsible for many healthy functions as well as structures in your body.
These include:
- Maintenance of healthy cell membranes
- Easily metabolized as energy
- Help improve cardiovascular health
- Important in hormone production
- Important in the health of your central nervous system
Monounsaturated fats are found in vegetable oils such as
- Olive oil
- Peanut oil
- Canola oil
Polyunsaturated fats can be found in foods such as.
- Fish oils
- Nut oils
- Seed oils
Essential fatty acids such as omega 3 and 6 are obtained from unsaturated fat, so make sure you get plenty of these.
They aren’t just healthy; they are necessary for basic life.
Many supplements exist which offer unsaturated fat blends for you to get a healthy daily dose of your omega 3 and 6 requirements.
2. Reduce Saturated Fat
Saturated fat is the type of fat you typically consume when you eat meat and other animal products such as dairy.
This form of fat is solid at room temperature and is most common as a storage medium in animal tissue.
You can also get it from plant sources such as coconut oil and palm kernel oil.
Saturated fat isn’t inherently bad for you. The problem exists in quantity.
Today we are faced with a conventional diet that has an excess amount of saturated fat.
We eat way more animal products than our bodies are used to handling, and with that comes and exposure to excess amounts of saturated fat.
Try and limit your meat consumption and use of dairy products such as butter and full cream products.
These foods are healthy for you in moderation but can quickly be bad for your health in excess, leading to a spike in LDL levels.
3. Remove Trans Fats
Trans fats are a form of fat that occurs naturally in limited quantities when you eat meat
They are more prevalent today through artificial processing.
The process of hydrogenation turns vegetable fats (unsaturated fats) into trans fats.
These fats are a popular, cheap and efficient way to mass produce good tasting commercial processed foods, which is why they are so prevalent.
Foods to avoid with high cholesterol, almost all fast foods, especially deep-fried foods, contain heavy doses of trans fats.
Trans fats are a fast lane to excess LDL cholesterol and all the bad that comes with it.
They also lead to inflammation and an increase in oxidative stress.
Foods to avoid with high cholesterol:
- Fast food, especially fried
- Margarine
- Shortenings
- Heavily processed snack foods
- Refined oils and fats
4. Increase Soluble Fiber intake
Increasing the amount of soluble fiber in the diet helps reduce LDL cholesterol a great deal.
Good low carb sources of soluble fiber include:
- Brussels sprouts
- Kidney beans
- Peas
- lentils
5. Exercise More
Working out regularly as well as staying on your feet as much as possible helps improve your cholesterol balance towards more HDL and less LDL.
Aerobic (cardio) exercise stimulates the release of nitric oxide from the walls of your blood vessels.
This has the effect of eliminating the accumulation of LDL in your bloodstream.
It also means your blood vessels are more active, reducing the risk of plaque deposits that cause atherosclerosis, a damaging of blood vessels associated with high LDL levels.
It also helps because your metabolism is positively stimulated, leading to an increase in HDL levels.
Read More :- 7 Great Home Workouts for Losing Weight
Read More :- How to Boost Nitric Oxide & Testosterone
6. Use HDL boosting Supplements
The last thing you might want to look at is supplementation.
Here’s a list of great supplements that have a proven effect in lowering bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol.
- Niacin (vitamin B3)
- Garlic
- Ginseng
- Artichoke leaf extract
- Supplemental fiber
Always remember that supplements are there to assist a mindful approach to diet and exercise and are not a substitute for you taking responsibility for your lifestyle.
Conclusion
There you have it, a break down on cholesterol and how it plays out with your keto adapted lifestyle.
Today we now understand that cholesterol itself isn’t bad, it's all about the type of cholesterol your body is exposed to.
Increasing HDL and decreasing LDL is the way to go.
If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to drop a comment in the section below.
Recommended Resource:
Share this post
